Headstarting is a collaborative effort between WWT, BirdsRussia and the RSPB, and occurs as part of the International Arctic Expedition mounted each year by BirdsRussia under the leadership of Dr. Evgeny Syroechkovskiy.

Flyway news

Following the success of the headstarting trials this summer, the spoon-billed sandpipers have been migrating to their wintering grounds. As Dr Christoph Zöckler has mentioned here previously, between 12 and 15 October, a record 106 spoon-billed sandpipers were counted at Rudong mudfl
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WaderQuest duo see spoon-billed sandpipers in Thailand

Two of our supporters, Rick and Elis Simpson, set off at the start of November on an epic trip around the world to see as many species of waders as possible and raise money for our spoon-billed sandpiper appeal at the same time. And we’re excited to announce they’ve alread
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Boys and girls

For the conservation breeding programme, for obvious reasons, we need both female and male birds. So, as the birds grow up, we’re anxious to find out who’s what. We can make a reasonable guess based on their size, because the females are on average larger than the males. But to be sur
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The 2012 Chukotka expedition team

Thank you, expedition team Chukotka 2012

Thanks very much Baz for providing a summary and update on the captive breeding with nice images from last summer’s breeding season. This brings back fond memories of an amazing expedition to South Chukotka. I would like to take the opportunity to thank WWT, Birds Russia and the entir
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Conservation Breeding Report – Expedition to Russia 2012

Baz Hughes (WWT Head of Species Conservation) produced this short report on the 2012 conservation breeding expedition. We hope you enjoy reading it. Conservation breeding report – expedition to Russia 2012  
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Ronald Swanwick Spoon- billed Sandpiper prints now available

We are very excited to tell you that Ronald Swanwick’s Spoon- billed Sandpiper prints are now available for sale! There have only been 100 prints made, making them very exclusive. Kate Humble has signed 10 of these prints, and Ronald has told us that he has already sold three of these
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Spoon-billed sandpipers on the radio – Tuesday

We’ve just heard from Radio 4’s Saving Species that this coming Tuesday they will broadcast interviews from their recent visit to see the Slimbridge flock . Presenter Brett Westwood interviewed Nige Jarrett and WWT Director of Conservation, Dr Debbie Pain, at the wintering
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Russian conservation trials pave way for spoon-billed sandpiper recovery

Media Release issued on behalf of WWT, RSPB, Birds Russia, Moscow Zoo, BTO, BirdLife International, ArcCona Consulting and the Spoon-billed Sandpiper Task Force An Anglo-Russian team has successfully trialled conservation methods that will pave the way for Critically Endangered spoon-
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An update from the conservation breeding flock

We thought it is time we shared some footage of the 2012 birds in the wintering aviaries at Slimbridge. As you can see they are doing really well. This was taken a few weeks ago, when the weather was warm and the birds were in the outside part of the aviary. We also have some pictures
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Kate Humble visits the Spoon-billed Sandpipers at Slimbridge

Kate Humble sees the spoon-billed sandpipers for the first time.

As thanks to Kate for all the work she has done so far to champion the spoon-billed sandpiper, Martin McGill and Kristian Purchase  from WWT gave Kate Humble a behind the scenes tour of their Slimbridge enclosure. Her face says it all. Kate popped in to Slimbridge to sign a selection
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